Cheryl Hines's Wedding and Engagement Rings from Robert Kennedy, Jr.: All the Scoop!

For many brides-to-be, a traditional engagement ring with a central diamond is a must — and the bigger the bling the better. But for Cheryl Hines, who married Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Aug. 2nd at the Kennedy compound in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts, a less conventional style better fit her lifestyle.

“We tried more typical, classic engagement rings where the diamond sits in the middle, but Cheryl felt she does so much with her hands, she mentioned her work with the environment and outdoors that she wanted something gorgeous but also one where she could use her hands freely,” says jeweler Neil Lane, who worked with the actress for several months to design the perfect ring: a 5-carat “wider than usual” sparkler styled with two outer rows of round diamonds and centered by 25 French-cut diamonds set in rose gold. “She was totally open to ideas and we went back and forth. It was a really fun, hush-hush process.”

While Hines took the design lead — a fast-growing trend among brides, Lane notes — Kennedy Jr. weighed in and offered support. “He was charming and very gracious and wanted her to have the ring she wanted, and he loved what she chose,” Lane says. Hines’s more classic wedding band, also in rose gold and set with dozens of small diamonds, complemented the engagement ring perfectly.

That said, Lane adds, “while the rings are beautiful and a lot of fun to wear, it’s the couple’s connection that was clear and made Cheryl gloriously happy. She was very excited about the wedding and talked about how much fun they have together. I’ve worked with her for years and it was truly lovely to see Cheryl so happy!”

What do you think of the rings? Are you excited to see more photos in this week’s PEOPLE?

I use my hands a lot too, and I would not have recommended an eternity band with diamonds all the way around it. If you work with your hands a lot, the diamonds on the bottom (lower) side of the band (shank) get knocked around a lot, and you risk losing them or knocking them loose. As it is, my more traditional wedding band gets scratched up quite a bit and I have to polish it often. I would have recommended to her a traditional design (diamonds on top) but with a low profile setting for the center stone. And just gold on the lower shank.

Linda
on August 6th, 2014

That isn’t unusual.

jasperett
on August 6th, 2014

Takes the fun out of it, designing your OWN rings, what happened to being surprised? My guy and I would go browsing at wedding rings and I would point out the styles I liked, he took note and the next year did surprise me with one of the several ones I showed him at many different price levels (I’m not high maintenance), that is the way to do it. We did the same thing with his wedding band, looked at several he liked then I went back and picked one of them. See what each of you like and then do the final pick for each other. This woman must be a control freak and he’s a chronic liar and a cheat. Fine pair they’ll make, this will be over within two years, hope he doesn’t drive her to suicide like he did his last wife.

shawna lee
on August 7th, 2014

Her engagement ring is a wide band? And her wedding ring is a thin band in a different color of gold? How odd…

Lacey
on August 7th, 2014

Pretty, but I would have used platinum.

gjd
on August 7th, 2014

Marriage will be over in a couple of years so what does it matter? She’s a fool and he’s nothing but a cheater.

Jessica
on August 7th, 2014

Rose gold? How cheap looking. It looks like something you would buy in W al M art. The Kennedy’s are so cheap and classless despite having money.